399 



the Portuguesa, the Apure, and the Apurito, the 

 air became cooler from the evaporation of so 

 considerable a mass of water. This effect is 

 more especially perceptible at sunset ; during 

 the day, the shores of the rivers, covered with 

 white sand, reflect the heat in a manner insup- 

 portable, more even than the yellowish-brown 

 clayey grounds of Calabozo and Tisnao. 



On the 28th of March I was on the shore at 

 sunrise, to measure the breadth of the Apure, 

 which is two hundred and six toises. The thun- 

 der rolled every where around. It was the first 

 storm, and the first rain of the season. The 

 river was swelled by the East wind ; but it soon 

 became calm, and then some great cetacese, of 

 the family of blowers, perfectly resembling the 

 porpoises * of our seas, began to play in long files 

 on the surface of the water. The slow and in- 

 dolent crocodiles seem to dread the neighbour- 

 hood of these animals, so noisy and impetuous 

 in their evolutions. We saw them dive when- 

 ever the blowers approached them. It is a very 

 extraordinary phenomenon, to find cetaceous 

 animals at such a distance from the coast. The 

 Spaniards of the missions designate them, as 

 they do the porpoises of the ocean, by the name 

 of toninas. The Indian name is orinucna ^. 



* Delphinus phocasna, J*. 

 f In the Tamauack language. 



